Scarves, Moles and Suspenders

I have finally accepted that the winter scarves I am making will not be completed prior to 2010.
I don't call it cripplemecrochet for nothing.
My father's step-daughters have five kids between them. I wanted to make matching scarves for the girls and their mother in pink, green and lavender. I finally decided to frog the skirt that I had started in order to use the yarn to make scarves for the two boys. The marble yarn will be perfect for the boys and the mom.
I usually avoid scarves. I thought they were incredibly boring.
To make these interesting I consulted my ancient crochet pattern tome.


Everyone should have a stitch pattern book.

After these gifts, I will be taking a year off for hooking unless I am at the ministry. Since the ministry only meets once a week for a few hours, I should be fine.

I think I will work on working out during my break. This should be fun.

I only became out of control with the fiber arts a few years ago when I discovered the local yarn store and Ebay. I think it should not be hard to revert back...

Well it is holiday time
I spent time with my mom and dad on Sunday. Dad's beard is almost all gray now. It is fun to watch it turn. I have always loved his beard.
When I saw my mother I informed her that I found my first moles. I remember a few years back, she began breeding moles on her face during her menapause. She was able to have them burned off at a nail salon in Texas. I have baby ones on my eyelid.
It frightens me two-fold. Is the change coming? And WTF MOLES!!!

I asked her what do I do about them. She ignored me. I was serious. She rolled her eyes.
I guess, dealing with the moles are my own problem.


You would think that she would offer some kind of advice. I am her daughter.
Hmmm.
Perhaps, yelling at her from across the table "I have old-lady moles on my eyelids. How do I get rid of them?" was the problem. or maybe it was when I said, "I don't want to walk around with chocolate chips all over my face"
She probably took offense.

I stopped being annoyed with her long enough to observe my step-father's latest fashion. Even though he is well into his sixties, my step-dad likes to prove how hip he is by wearing the most fashionable slacks with his traditional oxfords. Sometimes, he will mix it up by wearing jeans or a leisure suit. I cannot imagine where he is finding these clothes. Unless, he frequents those neighborhood shops. It is not unusual to see him wearing urban wear jeans that sag just a little matched with an old man sweater. On this day, he wore a South Pole leisure suit AKA outerwear. I just shook my head until he removed his jacket and I noticed that he was wearing suspenders.

Why??????

If I have to live with moles I want him to stop wearing those suspenders
OMG these look like his outfit sans black suspenders

Valentine's Day Facts

Valentine's Day 2010: Feb. 14

Opinions abound as to who was the original Valentine, with the most popular
theory that he was a clergyman who was executed for secretly marrying
couples in ancient Rome in spite of Emperor Claudius II, who felt that
marriage weakened his soldiers. In any event, in A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I
declared Feb. 14 as Valentine Day. Through the centuries, the Christian
holiday became a time to exchange love messages, and St. Valentine became
the patron saint of lovers. Esther Howland, a native of Massachusetts, is
given credit for selling the first mass-produced valentine cards in the
1840s. The spirit of love continues today as valentines are sent with
sentimental verses, from and to young and old romantics.

Candy is Dandy

1,233
Number of locations producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2007. These
establishments employed 38,794 people. California
led the nation in the number of such establishments with 143, followed by
Pennsylvania with 115.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

466
Number of locations that produced nonchocolate confectionary products in
2007. These establishments employed 18,250 people.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

$14.4 billion
Total value of shipments in 2007 for firms producing chocolate and cocoa
products. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing,
meanwhile, was a $5.6 billion industry. Source: 2007 Economic Census <
http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/>

3,643
Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States in 2007.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

23.8 pounds
Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2008.
Source: Current Industrial Reports <
http://www.census.gov/cir/www/311/ma311d.html>

Flowers

$403 million
The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2008
for all
flower-producing operations with $100,000 or more in sales. Among states,
California was the leading producer, alone accounting
for about three-quarters of this amount ($314 million). Source: USDA
National Agricultural Statistics Service
<
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1072
>

$24 million
The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses in 2008 for
all operations with $100,000 or more in sales.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1072
>

19,759
The number of florists nationwide in 2007. These businesses employed 93,779
people.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

Jewelry

27,484
Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2007. Jewelry stores offer
engagement, wedding and other rings to lovers of all ages.
In February 2009, these stores sold $2.2 billion in merchandise.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>
and Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services

The merchandise at these locations could well have been produced at one of
the nation's
1,753 jewelry manufacturing establishments.
Source: County Business Patterns <
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

Be Mine

2.16 million
The number of marriages that took place in the United States in 2008. That
breaks down to a little less than 6,000 a day.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics <
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/nvsr.htm>

112,185
The number of marriages performed in Nevada during 2008. So many couples
tie the knot in the Silver State that it ranked fifth
nationally in marriages, even though its total population that year among
states was 35th. (California ranked first in marriages.)
Source: National Center for Health Statistics <
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/nvsr.htm> and population estimates,


27.6 and 25.9 years
Median age at first marriage in 2008 for men and women, respectively.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2008 <
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/ms2.xls>

56% and 59%
The percentages of American women and men, respectively, who were 18 or
older and married (includes those who are separated) in 2008.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2008 <
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2008/tabA1-all.xls>

70%
Percentage of people 30 to 34 in 2008 who had been married at some point in
their lives -- either currently or formerly.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2008 <
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2008/tabA1-all.xls>

73%

Among women who married for the first time between 1985 and 1989, the
percentage who marked their 10th anniversary. This compares
with 87 percent of women who married for the first time between 1955 and
1959.
Source: Marriage and Divorce: 2004 <
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/marital-hist/2004/Table2.2004.xls>

6%
As of 2004, the percentage of currently married women who had been married
for at least 50 years. A little more than half of currently married
women had been married for at least 15 years.
Source: Marriage and Divorce: 2004 www/releases/archives/marital_status_living_arrangements/010624.html>

*The Census Bureau data in this section do not include same-sex marriages;
the National Center for Health Statistics data do.

Looking for Love

904
The number of dating service establishments nationwide as of 2002. These
establishments, which include Internet dating services,
employed nearly 4,300 people and pulled in $489 million in revenue.
Source: 2002 Economic Census <
http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/SUBSUMM.HTM>

Try Looking Here . . .

Romantic-sounding places to spend Valentine's Day:

Rose City, Texas Rose City, Mich.
South Heart, N.D.
Loveland, Colo. Darling, Minn.
Loveland, Ohio
Romeo, Colo. Sacred Heart, Minn.
Loveland Park, Ohio
Lovejoy, Ga. Heart Butte, Mont.
Love County, Okla.
Loves Park, Ill. Valentine, Neb.
Loveland, Okla.
Lovington, Ill. Lovelock, Nev.
Lovelady, Texas
Romeoville, Ill. Loving, N.M.
Loving County, Texas
Rosemont, Ill. Lovington, N.M.
Valentine, Texas
Romeo, Mich. Love Valley, N.C.
Rose Hill Acres, Texas
Lovejoy, Ill. Rosemont, Md.
Rosemont, N.D.

There are also 8 different places named "Rose Hill" and 7 named
"Roseville."

Source: American FactFinder

Giving Love a Second Chance

19%
Percentage of ever-married women and men, respectively, 15 and older who
have married twice, as of 2008. Five percent each have married three or
more times. By comparison, 76 percent of women and 75 percent of men who
have ever been married have made only one trip down the aisle.
Source: 2008 American Community Survey
<
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/014237.html
>

8
Average length, in years, of first marriages ending in divorce.

3 1/2
The median time in years between divorce and a second marriage.

52% and 44%
Among adults 25 and older who have ever divorced, the percentage of men and
women, respectively, who were currently married.

Source for the data in this section, unless otherwise noted: Marriage and
Divorce: 2004
<
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/marital_status_living_arrangements/010624.html
>

Post December 14th

This is the addition that I made to a traveling scarf recently. I added this section at the end of November.
I used the staff holidays to work on a few gift scarves, as well.

For my trouble, I earned a swollen hand.

It looked worse than this at the beginning of December. I finally had to realize that the scarves will not be complete before the end of the year. Since I refuse to buy any gifts, I plan to dodge holiday gatherings or at least fake the gift exchanges.
Wish me luck!

I should mention that I have been pretty busy the last few weeks.
I am so glad that it is over.
Leinenkugel beer got me through it. Their Fireside Nut Brown is amazing. I don't like Sam Adams. I am a Midwestern gal and I want a Midwestern beer.
I like beer. I am proud to say.

I fear the man who drinks water and so remembers this morning what the rest of us said last night.” ~ Greek Proverb

“The government will fall that raises the price of beer.” santiz Czech Proverb
“God has a brown voice, as soft and full as beer.” santiz Anne Sexton

Thank you beer. I tried vodka, rum and gin but nothing beat the comfort of a cold bottle of beer.

Yesterday, Dude informed me that I have removed the links to my blog from my Facebook page and other places. He said, "I know you are probably talking about me on your blog. So I understand."
Isn't he cute?

Post-Prozac

I have been having a hard few weeks. I gained another ten pounds and I have officially decided to stop taking my prozac. I don't know what my co-workers are going to do. Hell, I don't know what my housemates are going to do. Or that Dude of mine.

I traveled recently to Illinois. It was okay. I hate traveling but I had company. I took Dude with me. The only negative about Dude is that he is the youngest child of six and a from a multiple birth. On the other hand, I am the oldest of two.
Get it?
Well, for those of you who are clueless, I am trying to write that he would not stop talking. Not at all.
I like to listen to books on tape when I travel. I don't talk on the phone. I don't want to catch up. I do want the stories to end.
Since I have leg issues, I like to stop every two hours to walk around. I had peace in the restrooms. I hate eating at rest areas but when I am hungry there is not much else to do.
Actually that wasn't so bad.
I returned home safely and tried to finish a swap project. I used a new yarn for me. Encore colorspun. I like Encore. It has yardage and practicality.
The next day, I had blisters on my hand.
My knitting friends diagnosed me with an allergy to the dye. I was so sad. I had two skeins.....
The next day, I had blisters on my feet.
By that afternoon, I had blisters in my mouth.
My knitting friends first posited that I put my hands in my mouth, but noone could explain my feet. I objected. I don't put my hands in my mouth. Near my mouth, yes but not in my mouth. I bought this special dental tool to avoid hand to interior mouth Reach Dental Flosser. My fingers don't go near my mouth.

The next day I had more blisters, so I went to the doctor.
After the examination he reentered the patient room with a big book.
Opened the page to some pictures and said, "I think you have hand, foot and mouth disease." Apparently, adults get it one percent of the time and usually from children. (According to my sister and mother of an 18 month old) My niece and I had the disease at the same time. Where she contracted it from her day-care, I probably picked it up from a rest stop. From some kid who did not wash her hands.
I will never eat at a rest stop again.
I have now been christened with the nickname the "sickly one."

Doc told me that I was not contagious to adults because, well, adults don't get hand, foot and mouth disease. I swear he snickered a little..... There is no treatment. The disease runs its course in ten days.
He advised me to stay away from children and not to tell anyone what I had.
He said, "If you tell anyone that you have hand,foot and mouth disease they will start to think about WWII or the plague. You don't want that."

I paid for that advice. At least I am not allergic to the Encore.

A few days, I purchased the ingredients for my famous strawberry and pretzel salad. This dish for the annual Thanksgiving dinner for my group whips of quickly. As I poured the frozen sliced strawberries from the container, I noticed NO sliced strawberries. I had 22 ounces of strawberry bits. I did not have time to purchase another tub of the strawberries, so I drafted submitted an angry customer response to the grocery store's website.
I couldn't save the dish. I let the jello set and drove 30 minutes to the dinner.
My dish completely ruined became the joke of the dinner. See. Someone took a picture of it and mailed it to me.

The poor pretzels should comprise the crust but as you can see, without the strawberry layer, the pretzels have taken over.
I didn't think it was that funny and I secretly hoped that one of them were as sickly as me.....


This week, the blisters have dried and I am back to typing again. I have to write that Word 2007 is full of stupid. I wanted to insert a file into my document. I searched and searched on the insert menu. I searched under the file menu. A half hour of my life wasted. I checked the Help function.
I put in "insert file" This was my first suggestion.




I ask you, if that is such a common question WTF did the geeks at Microsoft move it to the object option under the Insert tab???????

Just wait. December 14th will be here and I will take some time off.